2013 annual report erasmus prize the future of democracy · gymnasium and oba. conference borders...

2013

photo ANP

Annual ReportErasmus Prize

The Future ofDemocracy

��

Preface 3

Activities 4

Erasmus Prize 2013 6

Citation 7 Laudatio 9

Acceptance Speech Jürgen Habermas 12

Biography Jürgen Habermas 15

Highlights Press Clippings 16 Communication and Online Presence 41

Publications 1958 - 2013 42

Origin and Aim of the 46Praemium Erasmianum Foundation

Board 47

Colophon 48

Contents

2013The Erasmus Prize 2013 was devoted to The Future of Democracy, a theme high on the political agenda. The Prize was awarded to the German philosopher Jürgen Habermas. Habermas has built up an enormous oeuvre of books and other writings and is still very active. His work is critical, undogmatic and cuts across a vast area – ethics, science philosophy, language philosophy, political theory, sociology, social philosophy and cultural theory. Besides this, from the 1950s onward he has tirelessly engaged in debates on urgent political issues, such as nuclear armament, the division of Germany, terrorism, the war in Iraq and, more recently, the issue of European integration. In its decision to award the

prize to Jürgen Habermas, the board of our foundation was assisted by a committee consisting of Victor Halberstadt, Joost Klarenbeek, and board members Rick Lawson, Maria Grever and Paul Schnabel.

We are delighted that the Patron of our Foundation has decided to keep this function also in his new role, that of King of the Netherlands. His Majesty the King presented the Erasmus Prize during a festive ceremony on 6 November at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam, in the presence of HM the Queen, HRH Princess Beatrix, and HRH Princess Margriet. We are thankful for the hospitality the Royal Family has bestowed upon us. During the award ceremony, Maria Grever, member of the board of the Foundation, read the laudatio which you will find in this report.

Our yearbook is no longer a book, so henceforth we call it the annual report. It contains the usual categories, namely citation, laudatio, acknowledgement speech, activity report, publications and composition of the board in the year 2013. The report is illustrated more lavishly than before and is available in digital format only.

Martijn Sanders, chairmanMax Sparreboom, director

Illustration Joseph Semah

Preface

��

Introductory Course ‘Understanding Habermas’From 30 SeptemberCourse in three parts on the work of Jürgen Habermas and his views on the future of democracy. The course concluded with a conference on Saturday 26 October at the ISVW in Leusden. The course was organised by the Institute of Philosophy, in collaboration with ISVW and Humanistisch Verbond.

Student Essay Competition on DemocracyFrom 30 September The International School of Philosophy (ISVW) issued a national essay competition among secondary school students on the topic of ‘the future of democracy’.

Book Launch ‘A Future for Europe’23 October, SPUI25, AmsterdamOn the occasion of the Erasmus Prize 2013, Uitgeverij BOOM has published a new book on Jürgen Habermas’ views on democracy and Europe. The book consists of an interview with Jürgen Habermas by Paul Schnabel, and recent articles by Habermas. In collaboration with the Germany Institute Amsterdam and Uitgeverij BOOM.

Student Speech Contest on Democracy26 October, ProDemos, The HagueProDemos held a national speech contest among secondary school students. Fifteen nominees were invited to a workshop on speech writing.

Conference ‘Discussing Jürgen Habermas’ 26 October, Estate of ISVW, LeusdenDebate on Jürgen Habermas. Moderated by professor Harry Kunneman, professors Tannelie Blom, Erik Borgman and Michiel Korthals discussed the recent work of Jürgen Habermas. This conference marked the end of the introductory course ‘Understanding Habermas’. In collaboration with the Institute of Philosophy, ISVW, Humanistisch Verbond and Uitgeverij BOOM.

Student Debate on Democracy29 October, Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam, TheaterzaalWhat are the guidelines for a good conversation or a debate? And how can the teachings of Habermas help us answer these questions? Debating contest for secondary school philosophy students. In collaboration with the Montessori Lyceum Amsterdam, Vierde Gymnasium and OBA.

Conference Borders to Cross29 October - 31 October, Pakhuis De Zwijger, AmsterdamThree-day international conference on democratic innovation and civic driven change.

Documentary ‘Putin’s Kiss’ 3 November, EYE Film Institute, AmsterdamScreening of the documentary ‘Putin’s Kiss’ (directed by Lise Birk Pedersen, Denmark 2011), on the patriotic youth movement Nashi in Russia, preceded by a lecture by Robin Brouwer.

Symposium ‘The Future of Democracy’5 November, KNAW, AmsterdamSymposium Jürgen Habermas with PhD StudentsFollowing a lecture by Jürgen Habermas on deliberative democracy and political crisis, PhD students discussed various philosophical, historical and political topics with Habermas and other speakers. The symposium was organised in collaboration with the Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen and the Huizinga Institute.

Exhibition ‘Decadence of Dictators’ 5 November – 1 December, Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam This exhibition showed the eccentricities of ten different dictators. In collaboration with ProDemos and OBA.

Award Ceremony Erasmus Prize 2013 to Jürgen Habermas6 November, Royal Palace Amsterdam

Documentary ‘Videocracy’6 NovemberThe documentary ‘Videocracy’ was broadcast by the digital channel Holland Doc 24. The documentary examines the role of the media in the political culture of Italy under Silvio Berlusconi. Leon Heuts gave a brief introduction to the film and also to the work of Habermas.

ERASMUS FESTIVAL BRABANTwww.erasmusfestival.nl

PublicationYoung people on the future of democracy, published in collaboration with MOTI Breda and ProDemos.

‘Evening of Democracy’9 November, Theater aan de Parade,‘s Hertogenbosch Theatrical evening directed by Jos Groenier, in collaboration with Introdans.

‘I protest’ 10 November, Theater aan de Parade, ‘s Hertogenbosch New protest songs by André Manuel and Roos Rebergen. In collaboration with Fontys Hogescholen and the Koningstheateracademie.

‘Day of Dialogue’ 4 November – 10 NovemberDialogues on the future of democracy took place in five cities in the province of Brabant.

‘Influence of social media on democracy’4 November – 10 NovemberSeries of debates in various cities in the province of Brabant.

Activities 2013

HRH Princess Beatrix in conversation with the winners of the debating contest for secondary school philosophy students.

Her Majesty the Queen in conversation with Anne Hensen, the winner of the student speech contest on democracy.

�� photo ANP

Article 2 of the Constitution of the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation reads as follows: Within the context of the cultural traditions of Europe in general and the ideas of Erasmus in particular, the aim of the Foundation is to enhance the position of the humanities, social sciences and the arts. The emphasis is on tolerance, cultural pluralism and non-dogmatic, critical thinking. The Foundation tries to achieve this aim through the award of prizes and by other means. A money prize is awarded under the name of Erasmus Prize.

In accordance with this article, the Board of the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation has decided to award the Erasmus Prize for the year 2013 to professor Jürgen Habermas.

The Prize is awarded to him on the following grounds:

Jürgen Habermas’ viewpoints on socio-political events are rooted in his life-long theoretical work on the public sphere and human communication. He asks critical questions, like most philosophers do, but also gives answers. In these answers he has always emphasized the importance of dialogue for a democratic society in which he argues human dignity should be the prime value.

Sharp in his analysis of political events in Europe, Habermas criticizes political elites for their opportunistic thinking. He pleads for political solidarity and long-term thinking, and takes a firm and positive stand in the debate on a more far-reaching European integration.

Jürgen Habermas is one of the most influential scholars and public intellectuals, in areas cutting across sociology, politics and philosophy. Both in writing and in practice, he has demonstrated a worldview, according to which rational debate among equal individuals is the basis for a civilized, humane and democratic world. He is a cosmopolitan citizen in the true Erasmian sense.

Citation

‘Jürgen Habermas is a cosmopolitan citizen in the true Erasmian sense.’

06 * 11 * 2013Erasmus Prize

Award CeremonyJürgen Habermas

2013

��

Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

In August this year the 23rd World Congress of Philosophy was held in Athens. One of the aims of the conference was to discuss the role and responsibilities of philosophers today. Around 3000 philosophers from all over the world came to Athens for this conference. This led a Greek left-liberal daily newspaper to complain that philosophers are too silent in times of crisis:

‘That’s the most convincing proof of the academic entrenchment of philosophy and the distortion it is subjected to in a system that serves the interests of pragmatism, utilitarianism and ultimately cynicism. ... After adjusting for so long to the needs of a lucrative model of research and teaching, philosophy has morphed into an autistic, self-serving discipline. It’s no coincidence that the social stereotype of the philosopher is that of someone who lives in his own world. More a drop-out than a militant intellectual who asks questions in the name of society and stands up to the powers that be.’

Perhaps the newspaper journalist had not examined the list of participants carefully enough, for there was at least one, senior German participant who – as the journalists ought to know – was for 100% the opposite of the stereotype of the philosopher who “only lives in his own world”. Speaking to a packed lecture hall at the University of Athens, Jürgen Habermas analysed the European crisis from the perspective of the lack of political solidarity.

He argued that instead of expanding democracy and changing how it operated, the EU was more and more becoming a technocracy in which member states participated without involvement from their respective citizens. Criticising the German government, Habermas said that under its guidance, the EU has prioritised the fiscal balance of each member state over anything else in its attempt at resolving the crisis. In Habermas’ view, political solidarity is required to resolve the crisis. He criticises the powerful EU members for short term and opportunistic thinking, for shirking their responsibilities and not explaining to their citizens that without this solidarity, we are going nowhere, and development in the eurozone will be weakened further.

Ladies and gentlemen, the views which Jürgen Habermas has repeatedly put forth with such strength and conviction, are rooted in a long life of dedication to the study of the public sphere. Major works such as Strukturwandel der Öffentlichkeit in which he defends the view that democracy is a conditio sine qua non for true progress, and Theorie des kommunikativen Handelns have established his authority as one of the great thinkers of our time. Habermas has built up an enormous oeuvre of books and other writings. His work is critical, un-dogmatic and surpasses the usual boundaries of established specialisms. It cuts across a vast area – ethics, science philosophy, language philosophy, political theory, sociology, social philosophy and cultural theory. Besides this, from the 1950s onward he has tirelessly engaged in debates on urgent political issues, such as nuclear armament, the division of Germany, terrorism, the war in Irak and, more recently, the issue of European integration. His interventions were characterised by a high degree of autonomy, a position that often earned him critiques from different sides of the

political spectrum. This autonomous and critical stance in the current political debate is a direct consequence of his

Laudatio

‘Truth should prevail over power; communication should be based on the equality of participants, in all fields: politics, science, and ethics. These are the basic ingredients of Habermas’ reasoning and key to his perseverance, his engagement and belief in a rational route to emancipation and enlightenment.’

Award ceremony, Royal Palace Amsterdam.

Award ceremony, Burgerzaal, Royal Palace Amsterdam.

�10 �11

academic work. If there is one binding motif in all of his activities, it is his endeavour to attain mutual understanding in a reasonable and open dialogue. The connecting thread running through Habermas’ writings is the public use of reason: from the public sphere through communicative action and rationality, to discourse ethics and then, finally, to deliberative democracy. Basically, truth should prevail over power; communication should be based on the equality of participants, in all fields: politics, science, and ethics. These are the basic ingredients of Habermas’ reasoning and key to his perseverance, his engagement and belief in a rational route to emancipation and enlightenment.

The Praemium Erasmianum Foundation has chosen ‘the Future of Democracy’ as the theme for the Erasmus Prize of 2013. To many, the idea of representative, parliamentary democracy is a very attractive model of governance. But democracy is not to be taken for granted. The idea has been embraced by regions and countries that have freed themselves from dictatorship, as in Eastern Europe and South America. Other regions, such as China and Singapore have instead taken economic and social achievements as the basis of organizing society. But also outside these regions, the democratic model is faced with problems of practical feasibility and credibility. Can parliamentary democracy, a model developed on national basis, with its slow procedures of decision making, face up to international challenges such as climate change, financial crises and new communication technologies? Other challenges are perceived in continuing liberalisation of the global trade. The power of the market: can it be checked by national governments, while staying within the boundaries of the normative, democratic constitutional state? European integration is another case in point. On the one hand ‘Europe’ is a guarantee for safety, and protects the fundamental rights of the citizen, preventing the system from lapsing back into a dictatorship. On the other hand ‘Europe’ is criticised from the perspective of representative democracy for lack of transparency and a democratic deficit. This is all the more pressing because more and more powers are transferred to supra-national institutions of the EU. Even outspoken proponents of a more centralised European system of governance are facing a problem as long as there is the prevailing suspicion that further European integration interferes with the national democracies. The question is how a useful European integration can be matched by a strengthening of democratic values that in the past always have been associated with the nation state.

Ladies and gentlemen, in the person of professor Jürgen Habermas our Foundation has found a laureate who in writing

and in practice embodies this thematic of the Future of Democracy. For more than half a century, Jürgen Habermas

has reflected on social-political events in the world. He has witnessed the foundation of the European Union and has been committed to the European project ever since. He believes in a democratic Europe and in his writings presents well-considered perspectives on the future of Europe. Central in his thinking is democracy and the commitment of the people. Habermas makes sharp analyses of globalisation processes and the consequences of liberalisation, while pointing to the problem of democratic control. He is concerned about a possible loss of democratic values in a situation of globalised financial markets but he keeps believing in the debate, in ratio as the source of politics and in the equality of man. He is sharp and critical in his analysis of the political stage and of where things go wrong. At the same time he is optimistic in his expectations, because he hopes for a ‘Wende’ in a rational direction, based on the debate between equals. On the one hand he gives a positive interpretation of the origin of the European Union, the legal discourse between states, and that between states and the European Union. On the other hand he warns for the rise of a technocracy, that breaks away from democratic control if political union should not be achieved. He criticises the political elites for their short-term thinking and their failure to create a broad democratic support for Europe. Yet he regards further political integration of Europe as desirable and inevitable. Habermas is often cited and his publications continue to attract great interest. Leading politicians quote his views with approval. Habermas’ work spans more than five decades and, for the moment, it shows no sign of abating. With good reason he can be called the philosophical conscience of democratic Germany, and as an engaged public intellectual he is also heard and appreciated in the rest of the world. Habermas is the perfect example of a public intellectual, an engaging thinker who stimulates further reflection on topics such as human dialogue, democracy and human dignity. His humanistic views and commitment to the future of Europe make him an example par excellence of the Erasmian values the Foundation holds so dear. On behalf of our Foundation I wish to congratulate you with the Erasmus Prize.

Presented by Maria GreverBoard member of the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation

‘Habermas is the perfect example of a public intellec-tual, an engaging thinker who stimulates further reflection on topics such as human dialogue, democracy and human dignity.’

Board member Maria Grever reading the laudatio.

Nora Fisher and ensemble Os Orphicum performing during award ceremony.

�1� �1�

Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

In the roll call of outstanding individuals who have been awarded this prize, Karl Jaspers has pride of place. In 1946, Jaspers appealed to the conscience of his German fellow citizens with his stirring work on “The Question of German Guilt.” His liberal cast of mind oriented to reason and communication fit with that of the thinker who lent his name to this prize. In calling the prize after Erasmus, its sponsors wanted to give it a twofold orientation: The linkage with the ideas of Erasmus was intended to foster European unification in a spirit of humanistic erudition and culture. I would like to say something about each of these aspects – on the topic of Europe and the future of democracy in Europe, of course, but also on a form of humanism that is not exhausted in a vague spirit of toleration.

Erasmus argued for positions that remain contested to the present day. I refer to one of his most celebrated works, De libero arbitrio, in which he famously defended freedom of the will against Luther’s doctrine of predestination. In a certain sense, this conflict within theology recurs in a secularized guise today. As you will recall, Luther followed Augustine in teaching that God has made his judgment from the beginning of time on the salvation or damnation of each individual believer. By invoking the Last Judgment, Erasmus argued against Luther: “[A]re we compelled to be present at the Judgment Seat if nothing has happened through our own will, but all

things have been done in us by sheer necessity?” (On the Freedom of the Will in Rupp and Watson (eds.), Luther and Erasmus: Free Will and Salvation (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006), 87).

Luther relied essentially on two arguments. First, he appealed to St. Paul in asserting that the sinful nature of human beings is so profoundly corrupt that our will can accomplish nothing on its own without the grace of an omnipotent God. The other argument was a moral one and can be explained within the historical context of the worldly Roman church of his time. Only if our salvation is predetermined in a way that is inscrutable to us, Luther argued, can the believer’s motives for leading a life pleasing to God remain untarnished by the egocentric intention of promoting his own happiness. In fact,

the moral meaning of God’s commandments is upheld only if these are followed for their own sake.

Erasmus shared this criticism of justification by works alone. But, in contrast to Luther, he considered every independently thinking person to be able with the help of God to accept the strictly binding nature of moral imperatives on the basis of rational insight alone. Kant would take up this idea two-and-a-half centuries later and sharpen it into the concept of autonomy: Those individuals are free, he argued, who bind their free choice to general laws that they have given themselves for good reasons – namely, based on insight into what is equally good for all. They cannot in this way earn their happiness but can only show themselves to be worthy of happiness.

Today, this controversy between Erasmus and Luther is being repeated in an ironic way. On Erasmus’s side are those philosophers who insist that the individual can choose autonomously between right and wrong on the basis of good reasons. On the other side are neurologists who declare freedom of will to be an illusion because they consider the strict causal connection between neural states according to natural laws to be an equivalent of Luther’s determinism regarding salvation. And, as if anticipating Erasmus’s objection as to why we, as supposedly unfree persons, should still appear before a judge, they push for a reform of criminal law. This example, ladies and gentlemen, demonstrates that humanism remains a vital, combative position.

The other intention for conferring the prize is especially controversial, namely, European unification in the spirit of humanism. This problem had not yet arisen in Erasmus’s time. In spite of the contemporary discovery of America, Europe still represented the world and the Latin-speaking world of scholars knew no boundaries. Although the Roman Catholic ecumene was about to break down, the religious split did not yet amount to a disintegration into nations that demarcated themselves from each other as such. Only much later, after the introduction of compulsory schooling and in the light of their respective national histories, cultures, and languages, did the populations have to acquire an awareness of national belonging, so that they could be drafted and mobilized against each other en masse. Today the end of this

Acceptance Speech Jürgen Habermas

nationalism which was interwoven with colonial imperialism lies over a half-century behind us. But we still feel the effects of the stubbornness of national boundaries. The toll barriers disappeared with the Schengen Agreement but they are now being reerected in people’s heads.

The globalization of the economy and society has once again led to reactions of mutual seclusion. There are two specific reasons for this. Under conditions of growing social inequality, our nations are undergoing a painful transformation into postcolonial immigrant societies. As a result of the influx of labor and poverty immigrants and refugees, our comparatively homogeneous majority cultures are facing the challenge of integrating foreign subcultures with different religious forms of life into society. That is the first challenge. The second is posed by the erosion of national democracies. The citizens sense this and are responding by retreating behind their national fences.

Because the political scopes for action of governments are shrinking in an increasingly integrated world society, nation states are being forced to engage in ever closer cooperation within a rapidly growing network of international organizations. As a result, the horizontal interdependencies between governments are simultaneously becoming denser. Thus, based on international treaties, more and more resolutions are being taken that citizens can no longer influence through the democratic means available to them. Public opinion- and will-formation functions for the present only within national borders. But since we are neither able nor wish to reverse the process of globalization, the progressive drying-up of democracy can be halted only by extending the paths of legitimation beyond national boundaries.

The European Union has taken the lead in pursuing such a transnationalization of democracy, something which has been a source of pride for us up to now. But Europe has remained stuck in midstream. The euro zone countries in particular are suffering as a result, because the single currency is in many respects incompatible with the sovereignty of the member states. While the peoples are drifting apart under the pressure of the crisis and are stigmatizing each other within their respective national public arenas, the technocratic interdependence between the governments is marching onwards behind closed doors. And the citizens are paying an increasingly high price for this in the currency of their democratic disempowerment. We can break out of this vicious circle only if the nations open themselves up to one another and stop balking at the prospect of a closer Political Union. What project could be more worthy of the legacy of Erasmus than an energetic attempt to restore the impaired mutual confidence between the European North and the European South?

‘Since we are neither able nor wish to reverse the process of globalization, the progressive drying-up of democracy can be halted only by extending the paths of legitimation beyond national boundaries.’

�1� �1��1�

With the German scholar Jürgen Habermas (Düsseldorf, 1929), the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation has found a laureate who embodies the theme of the future of democracy par excellence. A tireless champion of a democratic and just society, Jürgen Habermas criticises the political elites for short-term thinking and their failure to create broad, democratic, societal support for Europe. He forcefully argues in favor of a continued political integration of Europe, which he regards as desirable and inevitable.

Jürgen Habermas has built up an enormous oeuvre, in which he has consistently emphasised the importance of dialogue and human dignity. Among his best known books are ‘Zur Strukturwandel der Oeffentlichkeit’(1962) and ‘Theorie des kommunikativen Handelns’ (1981). The current political and financial-economic crises and the fate of Europe are subjects for his frequent public lectures and are discussed in his more recent essays such as ‘Zur Verfassung Europas’ (2011) and ‘The Crisis of the European Union, a Response’ (2012).

One of the most influential philosophers in the world, Habermas has dealt with so many questions, that a short biography like this can never do justice to the scope and significance of his work. His extensive writings address topics ranging from social-political theory, aesthetics, epistemology, and language to philosophy of religion. His ideas have significantly influenced not only philosophy but also political/legal thought, sociology, communication studies, argumentation theory and rhetoric, theology and developmental psychology. Additionally, Habermas has played an active role in debates on a variety of political and social subjects. His plea for political solidarity and European integration is unabated.

Biography Jürgen Habermas

�1� �1�

Highlights Press Clippings

De�Groene�Amsterdammer� Voorbij de horizon - de toekomst van de Europese democratie Jürgen Habermas, publication 31 October 2013

Volkskrant�� Politieke elite zelf grootste hindernis Martin Sommer, publication 2 November 2013 Insert VONK Toekomst van de Democratie

Meeslepende Europese inzichten [review Een Toekomst voor Europa] Olaf Tempelman, publication 26 October 2013

NRC�Handelsblad�� Erasmusprijs van de democratie voor een oude Europa-filosoof� � � Raymond van den Boogaard, publication 6 November 2013

Trouw� Zonder omweg naar Europa Antoine Verbij, publication 2 November 2013

Het�Financieele�Dagblad� Pleitbezorger van een democratisch Europa Michiel Goudswaard, publication 6 November 2013

NRC�Next�� Een fier plukje spierwit Simone van Saarloos, publication 6 November 2013

Filosofie Magazine ‘De politiek wil de bevolking erbuiten houden’ Florentijn van Rootselaar, publication 30 June 2014

Publicatie : de Groene Amsterdammer Regio : NederlandDatum : 31 okt 2013 Pagina : 24 Frequentie : wekelijkscm2 : 2.532 Advertentiewaarde : € 11.875,00 Oplage : 22.834

ERASMUSPRIJS (NIETS OVER ERASMUS JAZZ PRIJS!!)

alleen voor intern/eigen gebruik

De�Groene�Amsterdammer� Voorbij de horizon - de toekomst van de Europese democratie Jürgen Habermas, publication 31 October 2013




�1� �1�













��0 ��1



















��

Volkskrant� Politieke elite zelf grootste hindernis Martin Sommer, publication 2 November 2013 Insert VONK Toekomst van de Democratie

Publicatie : Volkskrant Regio : NederlandDatum : 2 nov 2013 Pagina : 56 Frequentie : 6x per weekcm2 : 1.404 Advertentiewaarde : € 59.549,00 Oplage : 259.968






��













��

Volkskrant� Meeslepende Europese inzichten [review Een Toekomst voor Europa] Olaf Tempelman, publication 26 October 2013

Publicatie : Volkskrant Boeken Regio : NederlandDatum : 26 okt 2013 Pagina : 6 Frequentie : wekelijkscm2 : 952 Advertentiewaarde : € 25.747,00 Oplage : 259.968



Publicatie : Volkskrant Boeken Regio : NederlandDatum : 26 okt 2013 Pagina : 6 Frequentie : wekelijkscm2 : 952 Advertentiewaarde : € 25.747,00 Oplage : 259.968



��

NRC�Handelsblad� Erasmusprijs van de democratie voor een oude Europa-filosoof� � � Raymond van den Boogaard, publication 6 November 2013

Publicatie : NRC Handelsblad Regio : NederlandDatum : 6 nov 2013 Pagina : 14 Frequentie : 6x per weekcm2 : 230 Advertentiewaarde : € 6.856,00 Oplage : 201.619



Trouw� Zonder omweg naar Europa Antoine Verbij, publication 2 November 2013

Publicatie : Trouw Letter & Geest Regio : NederlandDatum : 2 nov 2013 Pagina : 10 Frequentie : wekelijkscm2 : 1.687 Advertentiewaarde : € 20.752,00 Oplage : 103.035



��0 ��1










��

Het�Financieele�Dagblad� Pleitbezorger van een democratisch Europa Michiel Goudswaard, publication 6 November 2013

Pleitbezorger van een democratisch Europa

Michiel Goudswaard

woensdag 06 november 2013, 00:00

Jürgen Habermas // Demotix/Hollandse Hoogte

Jürgen Habermas neemt het op tegen de realisten. Tegen mensen die de moed hebben opgegeven dat de wereld kan worden veranderd. ‘Zelfs de zwartste diagnose ontslaat ons niet van de verplichting om naar het betere te streven’, zegt de 84-jarige filosoof die nog onvermoeibaar doorwerkt.

Habermas geldt als een van de grootste nog levende filosofen. Vanwege zijn doorwrochte academische werk, waarmee hij wereldwijd faam verwierf. Maar ook vanwege zijn niet-aflatende stroom artikelen waarin hij de wereld analyseert en becommentarieert. Die stukken zijn niet altijd even makkelijk leesbaar, maar ze getuigen wel altijd van een grote eruditie en denkkracht.

Vanmiddag krijgt hij de Erasmusprijs uit handen van koning Willem-Alexander vanwege zijn beschouwingen over de ‘toekomst van de democratie’, het thema dat de Stichting Praemium Erasmianum dit jaar heeft gekozen. Daarmee wordt in tijden van oprukkend populisme een denker bekroond die zich zijn hele leven al inzet voor het gebruik van de ratio, juist ook in het politieke debat.

Marxistisch

Habermas was vier jaar toen Adolf Hitler in 1933 aan de macht kwam. Hij was vijftien toen hij naar het front werd gestuurd en kort na het einde van de oorlog ontdekte hij wat zich allemaal in nazi--Duitsland had afgespeeld. De oorlog zou zijn latere werk op het grensvlak van de sociologie, filosofie en politicologie diepgaand beïnvloeden.

Na studies in Göttingen, Zürich en Bonn en de voltooiing van zijn proefschrift gaat hij in 1956 aan de slag bij het marxistisch georiënteerde Institut für Sozialforschung in Frankfurt, waar op dat moment Max Horkheimer en Theodor Adorno de scepter zwaaien. Zij hebben na de Holocaust hun vertrouwen in het verlichtingsdenken grotendeels verloren, maar Habermas gaat daarin niet volledig mee. In zijn magnum opus Theorie des kommunikativen Handelns uit 1981 benadrukt hij dat in de open ‘communicatieve ruimte’ van een gesprek iedere uitspraak onderbouwd moet worden. Het machtsverschil tussen debatterende partijen moet geneutraliseerd worden door de ‘dwangloze dwang van het betere argument’.

Debatten

Hij mengt zich sinds de jaren vijftig in tal van maatschappelijke debatten, van de rol van genetica tot de plaats van religie in een geseculariseerde maatschappij. Over dat laatste thema ging hij in debat met kardinaal Joseph Ratzinger, de latere paus Benedictus XVI. In 2008 hield hij de Nexus-lezing in Tilburg, waarin hij afrekende met het simplistische denken in het hoog oplopende debat over de multiculturele samenleving.

De afgelopen jaren publiceerde hij twee essaybundels over Europa. Hij ziet met lede ogen aan hoe na 1989 het neoliberalisme oprukt en de samenlevingen steeds meer doordrenkt raken van het economisch denken. Hij signaleert dat door de oprukkende globalisering de verhouding tussen politiek en markt uit balans is geraakt.

Eenwording

De nationale staat heeft hierop geen passend antwoord, meent Habermas. Alleen door middel van een verdere eenwording van Europa kan het primaat van de politiek over de financiële markten weer worden hersteld. Die verdere eenwording moet in zijn ogen niet de vorm krijgen van een federale staat, waarin de nationale staten zouden opgaan.

De natiestaat is en blijft voor hem de belangrijkste waarborg voor recht en vrijheid, maar daarnaast moeten er Europese politieke structuren komen die het mogelijk maken de huidige economische onevenwichtigheden binnen de eurozone aan te pakken. Een rigide bezuinigingsbeleid is in zijn ogen niet genoeg, en treft vooral de sociaal zwakkeren. Een gemeenschappelijke financiële, economische en sociale politiek is nodig, waardoor de EU flexibel zou kunnen reageren op snel veranderende omstandigheden.

Democratisch

Maar die nieuwe structuren moeten dan wel democratisch gelegitimeerd zijn. Hij pleit voor een wijziging van het Europese verdrag, die aan de burger ter goedkeuring moet worden voorgelegd. Het

��

Europees Parlement moet een veel prominentere plaats krijgen in het krachtenspel, als volwaardige partner van de Europese regeringsleiders en de Europese Commissie.

Daar kunnen belangenafwegingen worden gemaakt die verder reiken dan de huidige compromissen tussen zich op hun nationaal belang beroepende staten. ‘Alleen in parlementaire processen kan een zich tot heel Europa uitstrekkend wij-perspectief van Europese burgers uitgroeien tot een geïnstitutionaliseerde macht’, schrijft Habermas.

Euroscepsis

Dergelijke hervormingen zijn volgens velen onhaalbaar in tijden van euroscepsis. Maar Habermas verwijt de Europese regeringsleiders dat zij hun burgers zwaar onderschatten. De meestal zo rustig argumenterende filosoof kwalificeert Angela Merkel een ‘kleine en visieloze kanselier’ die uit ‘machtspolitiek opportunisme’ in de eurocrisis vasthoudt aan een beleid van pappen en nathouden.

De burgers van Europa moeten zich kunnen uitspreken over hun toekomst, op basis van een met argumenten gevoerd debat. Zij begrijpen volgens hem zeer goed dat solidariteit op Europees niveau noodzakelijk is, niet alleen om de schade van het uiteenvallen van de euro te voorkomen, maar ook om ervoor te zorgen dat Europa haar eigenheid kan bewaren en een plaats op het wereldtoneel kan behouden.

NRC�Next� Een fier plukje spierwit Simone van Saarloos, publication 6 November 2013

Publicatie : NRC NEXT Regio : NederlandDatum : 6 nov 2013 Pagina : 2 Frequentie : 5x per weekcm2 : 180 Advertentiewaarde : € 2.388,00 Oplage : 83.037



��

Filosofie Magazine ‘De politiek wil de bevolking erbuiten houden’ Florentijn van Rootselaar, publication 30 June 2014

Publicatie : Filosofie Magazine Regio : NederlandDatum : 30 jun 2014 Pagina : 44 Frequentie : 11x per jaarcm2 : 1.703 Advertentiewaarde : € 7.109,00 Oplage : 19.613












I N T E R V I E W

��







��0 ��1

The new website of the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation was launched in September 2013. The website is more image-oriented and has a modern and fresh look, while maintaining the current corporate identity. The digitalized photo archives of the past five decades have also been made available online. At the same time the Foundation started making use of Twitter and Facebook. Both are used to expand the visibility of the Foundation through focusing on current activities and the Foundation’s rich history. Thus the Foundation aims to reach a broadly interested group as well as an audience that is specifically interested in the current theme of the Erasmus Prize.

In 2013, the Board of the Foundation decided to switch to an all-digital annual report. This digital annual report includes the usual sections, such as the full report of the Erasmus Prize ceremony, the citation, laudatio and acceptance speech. The digital annual report can be downloaded from the website and is available in Dutch and English.

Communication and Online Presence




��

Publications 1958 - 2013

On the occasion of the Erasmus Prize 2013, Uitgeverij BOOM published ‘A Future for Europe’ on Jürgen Habermas’ views on democracy and Europe. This book consists of an interview with Jürgen Habermas by Paul Schnabel, and recent articles by Habermas.

��

��

Origin and Aim of the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation

On 23 June 1958, His Royal Highness Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands founded the Praemium Erasmianum. The aim of the organisation, as described in article 2 of its constitution, is to enhance the position of the humanities, the social sciences and the arts and to promote appreciation of these fields within society, within the context of the cultural traditions of Europe in general and the ideas of Erasmus in particular. The emphasis is on tolerance, cultural multiformity and undogmatic critical thinking.

The Erasmus Prize consists of €150,000 and adornments. The Board consists of leading membersof the Dutch cultural, scholarly and business communities.

The adornments are designed by Bruno Ninaber van Eyben. The adornments consist of a harmonica folded ribbon with a titanium plate at both ends. In closed form it is a booklet; when opened a ribbon with a text in Erasmus’ handwriting. This text taken from a letter to Jean de Carondelet (Basel 5 January 1523) is characteristic of Erasmus’ thinking:

‘diverse are the gifts of men of genius and many are the different kinds of ages. let each one reveal the scope of his competence and let no one be envious of another who in keeping with his own ability and style tries to make a useful contribution to the education of all.’

His Majesty the KingPatron

Martijn SandersChairFormer director of Het Concertgebouw

Margot DijkgraafVice-chairLiterary critic, director of SPUI25

Tom de SwaanTreasurerChairman of the board of Van Lanschot Bankiers

Désanne van BrederodePhilosopher, publicist

Maxim DrenthPhilosopher of law, publicist

Naomi EllemersProfessor of social psychology of organisations at Leiden University

Louise O. FrescoProfessor of sustainable development, University Professor at University of Amsterdam

Maria GreverProfessor of theory and methodology of history at Erasmus University Rotterdam

Bregtje van der HaakPolitical scientist, documentary maker

Fouad LarouiProfessor of French and Arabic literature at University of Amsterdam, publicist

Rick LawsonDean, professor of European law at Leiden University

Henk van der Meulen (until December 2013)Composer, director of Royal Conservatoire in The Hague

Axel RügerDirector of Van Gogh Museum

Paul Schnabel (until December 2013)Director of Netherlands Institute for Social Research

Henk ScholtenDirector of Lucent Danstheater / Dr Anton Philipszaal

Ed SpanjaardConductor

Frank van VreeDean, professor of media studies at University of Amsterdam

Observerson behalf of His Majesty the KingJoost KlarenbeekJan Snoek

Max SparreboomDirectorLucia AalbersSecretaryBarbara van SantenAssistant secretary

Board 2013

Colophon

The Future of Democracy

Annual Report Erasmus Prize

© 2014

Photography John Thuring, ANP

Ilustration Joseph Semah

Text Stichting Praemium Erasmianum, Jürgen Habermas

Design Barbara van Santen, Reynoud Homan

1958 Het O

ostenrijkse volk 195

9 R

ober

t Schuman · K ar l Jaspers 1960 M

arc Chagall · Oskar Kokoschka 1

962 R

oman

o G

uard

ini

1963 M

ar tin Buber 1964 Union Académique Internationale 1965 Sir Charles S. Chaplin · Ingmar B

ergm

an 1

966

Sir

Her

ber t

Rea

d · R

ené Huyghe 1967 Jan T inbergen 1968 Henry M

oore 1969 Gabriel M

arcel · Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker 1970 Hans Scharoun 1

971

Oliv

ier

Mes

siae

n 1

972

Jean

Piag

et 1

973 Claude Lévi-Str auss 1974 D ame N inette de Valois · M

aurice Béjart 1975 Sir Ernst Gom

brich · Willem Sandberg 1976 Amnesty Internatio

nal · René D

avid

197

7 W

erne

r K

aegi

· Je

an M

onne

t 19

78 La M

ar ionettistica Fratelli N apoli C atania · Tandarica · Yves Joly · Bread and Puppet Theater 1979 D

ie Zeit · Neue Zürcher Zeitung 1980 Nikolaus Harnoncourt · G

ustav Leonhardt

1981

Jea

n Pr

ouvé

198

2 E

dwar

d Sc

hille

beec

kx 1

983 Raymond Aron · Sir Isaiah Berlin · Leszek Kolakowski · Marguerite Yourcenar 1984 M

assimo Pallottino 1985 Paul D

elouvrier 1986 Václav Havel 1987 Alexander King 1988 Jacques Ledoux 1

989 Int

erna

tiona

l Com

mis

sion

of J

uris

ts 1

990

Sir

Gra

ham

e C lar

k 1991 B

ernard Haitink 1992 Simon W iesenthal · Archivo General de Indias 1993 Peter Stein 1994 Sigmar Polke 1995 Renzo Piano 1996 W

illiam McNeill 1997 Jacques Delors 1998 Mauricio Kagel · Pete

r Sell

ars

1999

Mar

y Ro

bins

on 2

000

Han

s va

n M

anen

200

1 C

laudio M

agris · Adam Michnik 2002 Bernd en Hilla Becher 2003 Alan Davidson 2004 Sadik A

l-Azm

· Fatema M

ernissi · Abdulkarim

Soroush 2005 Simon Schaffer · Steven Shapin 2006 Pierre Bernard 2007 Péter Forg

ács

2008

Ian

Bur

uma

200

9 A

nton

io C

asse

se ·

Benj

amin

Fer

encz

2010 Jo

sé Antonio Abreu 2011 Joan Busquets 2012 Daniel Dennett 2013 Jürgen Haberm

as

Stichting Praemium Erasmianum

Jan van Goyenkade 5

1075 HN Amsterdam

T + 31 20-6752753

E [email protected]

www.erasmusprijs.org

2013 annual report erasmus prize the future of democracy · gymnasium and oba. conference borders...

Documents